The Role of Al-Azhar in Accentuating Cultural, Civilizational and Strategic Ties between India and Egypt

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, New Age Islam 23 January 2023 Inspired By Egypt’s Al-Azhar And Its Vision Of Al-Manhaj Al-Mo’tadil (Moderate Methodology), Many More Young Islamic Scholars Especially From The Sunni-Sufi Tradition Are Trying To Fight Against The Sectarian Disunity In The Indian Muslim Community Particularly From A Theological Point Of View. Many Other Indian Participants In The Al-Azhar Course On Training Of Imams Hold The Similar Views. ------- Main Points: 1. Historically, India and the Arab Republic of Egypt have held deeply rooted relations, cultural exchanges, knowledge-sharing and diplomatic ties and increasing defence cooperation. 2. India's invitation to Egyptian President as Chief Guest on 26th January (Republic Day 2023) will go down well in the annals of history which has witnessed the bilateral civilizational, cultural, economic and diplomatic relations between India and Egypt. 3. Al-Azhar has evolved the moderate methodology [Manhaj Mu’tadil] in Islamic theology without interruption since 975 CE. Notably, several Sufi-oriented Indian Madrasas have an affiliation to the Al-Azhar’s educational programmes. 4. This helps the ongoing process of cultural exchange and knowledge-sharing and it has also augured well for India’s second largest majority—Indian Muslims. ...... Republic Day 2023 Chief Guest: Abdel Fattah Al Sisi ----- Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been invited as the chief guest on 26th January at India’s Republic Day celebrations 2023. This visit is slated on the crucial historical occasion—the completion of 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Egypt. A 120-member military contingent from Egypt is also taking part in the celebrations, as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had confirmed. Tellingly, the significance of India-Egypt relations lies more in the geostrategic partnership. Egypt is strategically located as a hub for trade routes between Europe, Africa, and Asia. Geopolitically, Egypt holds a vital role to deepen India's ties with many other Arab nations as part of the renewed Indian focus on West Asia. More to the point, Egypt accords paramount importance to multilateral forums that comprise developing countries, such as Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the G77 considering their contributions to south—south cooperation. In this backdrop, PM Modi’s invitation to President Al-Sisi as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day during India’s G20 presidency would be received reasonably well. Historically, India and the Arab Republic of Egypt have held deeply rooted relations, cultural exchanges, knowledge-sharing and diplomatic ties and increasing defence cooperation. Only three days after India's independence on August 15, 1947, formal relations were established between the two countries. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rightly stated on Monday that mutual warmth and an age-old friendship between the two countries has strengthened during the recent past. Therefore, PM Modi's invitation to President Al-Sisi will go down well in the annals of history which has witnessed the bilateral civilizational, cultural, economic and diplomatic relations between India and Egypt. Both the countries have not only stood the test of time but have also been strengthened by the visit of President al-Sisi in India for the first time in 2015. Now for the first time in India, an Egyptian President will be the Chief Guest on Republic Day. The Ambassador of Egypt to India H.E. Wael Mohamed Awad Hamed has rightly pointed out that the invitation to President al-Sisi for India’s Republic Day celebrations is ‘truly historic’. Addressing a panel discussion on ‘India-Egypt Ties in Changing Global Order’, the Ambassador went on to state that Modi-Sisi friendship and the anticipated better bilateral ties between Cairo and New Delhi will ‘surpass’ Nehru-Nasser. Notably, the strategic partnership between Egypt and India was more and less successful in the 1950s and 1960s. But even the close relations between Jawaharlal Nehru and Gamal Abdel Nasser could not cause the Egyptian President to be the Republic Day chief guest in India. Now it is happening with Prime Minister Modi—for the first time—because of the personal bonding and the understanding that PM Modi shares with President Sisi. Thus, the Egyptian Envoy’s optimistic remarks should be taken in a positive spirit. Clearly, this first-ever visit of the President of Egypt is an epoch-making opportunity to establish a new era of the bilateral ties between the two oldest civilisations. Among the countries that have world treasures of wonders at their foothills, India and Egypt come to the fore. On one hand, India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with the Indus civilisation which flourished from about 2600 to 1900 BCE. The Indian civilisation which includes Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, and Lothal in modern-day India. Author Namit Arora who recently wrote Indians: A Brief History of A Civilization takes us on an unforgettable journey of the Indian civilization through 5000 years of history—from the mysteries of Dholavira, Nagarjuna, the vision of Nalanda, the innovations of Vijayanagar to the discoveries of Abu Raihan Al-Beruni in his Kitab al-Hind. Thus, this brings alive the ancient, medieval and modern India that one can feel the centuries and millennia of Indian civilisation as the times passes by. On the other hand, Egypt has a bright chapter of history, culture, arts and architecture as well as the seven most famous mummies including the incredible Mummies of the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt. Historical events and Qur’anic stories are hidden in the culture and history of Egypt—the battle of Prophet Moses (Hazrat Musa) and Pharaoh (Firaun), the drowning of Pharaoh's forces in the Nile River, and the beautiful stories of Hazrat Yusuf and Zuleikha. The statues of Abulhole, the architectural buildings in Alexandria such as Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, St. Catherine's Cathedral, the civilization of the Nile River are still part of the curriculum of the world's universities. Most importantly, Egypt is the citadel of Islam’s largest seminary in the world—Al-Azhar University popularly known in India as Jamia al-Azhar—which has enrolled a large number of Ulema and graduates from Indian Madrasas for decades. Al-Azhar has continued to evolve and promote the moderate methodology [Manhaj Mu’tadil] in Islamic theology without interruption since 975 CE. Notably, several Sunni and Sufi-oriented Indian Madrasas have an affiliation to the Al-Azhar’s educational programmes such as the 3-year courses in Usul al-Deen (genealogies of Islamic thought resources), Kulliya al-Shariah wal Qanun (faculty of jurisprudence and law) and Kulliya al-Dirasaat al-Islamia wal-Arabia (faculty of Islamic and Arabic studies). While this helps the ongoing process of cultural exchange and knowledge-sharing, it has also augured well for India’s second largest majority—the Indian Muslims. It was perhaps Shaikh al-Azhar (the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, a prestigious official position in Egypt) who coined the term ‘Muwatin’ (meaning: equal citizens) for the religious minorities, and issued the fatwa that in Islam, minority communities must be treated fairly well and should not even be called ‘minorities’. This is an eye-opener for us Indian Muslims too. Instead of floating the idea of Muslim ‘minoritism’ in India, we should rather strengthen the position of al-Azhar which regards every community as equal citizens (Muwatin). Notably, Al-Azhar Academy runs the World Academy for Training Mosque Imams, Preachers and Fatwa Researchers and offers training programmes through a 3-month crash course to the Ulema of various countries. The focal points of Al-Azhar in this course entitled, Tarbiyat-ul-Aaiymma (Training of Imams) include: preparing contemporary imams and muftis well equipped with the modern challenges, “Information Revolution” and an Islamic Perspective on “Moderation” (Ei’tidal) and Wasatiyyah—avoidance of extremism in Islamic approaches. Dr. Muhammad Ad-Duwini, President of the Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy has clearly stated: “The courses came within the framework of Al-Azhar’s endeavor to enhance the proficiency of male and female preachers. Such courses would enable them to better deal with contemporary issues, as well as guide them on how to deal with Islamic legal texts, and apply them to people's practical life in a manner that takes into account the variety of time, place, situation, custom, and people involved. Such manner would also clarify the rules and principles of fatwa, and explain the principles of theology from a moderate Islamic perspective”. Maulana Dr Zishan Ahmad Misbahi who recently attended the course in Cairo gives his reflection to Awaz The Voice: “Focus on moderation and countering extremism and takfirist ideologies has been the crux of the Al-Azhar’s course on the training of Imams. Ulema and imams from around the world are provided with a precise training, efficiency and expertise in this crash course so they can be capable to tackle the modern issues in their social and cultural settings. There, they are anchored in a peaceful and moderate version of Islamic theology which helps them curb the intra-sect Takfirism and promote the peaceful coexistence with people of other faiths. After the training at Al-Azhar, when they go back to their own countries, obviously they foster national integration, communal harmony, Muslim and non-Muslim relations based on humanity and nationality”. Currently a faculty member and mentor at Jamia Arifia founded by Sheikh Abu Saeed Shah Ehsanullah Safawi, Sufi master and rector of Khanqah-e-Arifia in Allahabad (Prayagraj), Maulana Zishan Misbahi is now struggling to alleviate Muslim sectarian conflicts, especially in madrasa texts and theological discourses. With an expertise and training in the Muslim philosophy (ilm-al-Kalam), he is actively engaged in intellectual endeavours as Islamic theologian associated with the Sufi seminary in Syed Sarawan Allahabad, to counter Takfirism— excommunicating and declaring someone beyond the pale of Islam. He has recently authored a thought-provoking book in Urdu titled, “Mas’ala-e-Takfeer-o-Mutakallimin” (The issue of Takfeer and perspective of Scholastic Theologians). The book deals with the intricate and subtle issues of Takfirist ideologies in Islam and has been greatly helping in saving the Indian Islam from clutches of the Takfirists. He also edits an annual journal on Sufism “Al-Ihsan” which promotes inclusivism among Muslim theologians of various sects through scholarly Sufism. Inspired by Egypt’s al-Azhar and its vision of al-Manhaj al-Mo’tadil (moderate methodology), many more young Islamic scholars especially from the Sunni-Sufi tradition are trying to fight against the sectarian disunity in the Indian Muslim community particularly from a theological point of view. Many other Indian participants in the Al-Azhar course on training of Imams hold the similar views. From right to left: Indian Ulema—Mufti Rahmat Ali Misbahi, Maulana Ziyaur Rahman Alimi, Mufti Kitabuddin Razvi, Maulana Azeez Baqai, Qari Dilshad Hashmi, Maulana Dr Zishan Misbahi at Al-Azhar World Academy ------ Maulana Ziyaur Rahman Alimi who studied at the Centre of Arabic & African Studies (CAAS) in JNU and then got an opportunity to attend the Al-Azhar for an intensive course says: We have gainfully benefitted from Al-Azhar training in terms of our engagement with our multicultural society back in India. This is something that Indian Islam has always called for. This course has further strengthened and reinforced our moderate vision of Islam in India. Thus it would mitigate the extremist and exclusivist narratives of radical forces. Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain Azhari based in Pratapgarh, U.P gives his impression which reaffirms the above sentiments about the Al-Azhar: “It has churned out a generation of ulema and clerics in the country and abroad which has acquired expertise not just in the Arabic language and Shariah-based subjects, but also in humanities and sociology of the religion. Thus, the training has been greatly helpful for us to be an ideal human being who can deal with the issues of the modern world in a civilized manner. Tolerance, humane treatment with people of other religions, unity and harmony, and respect for difference of opinions, identities, and races is the only way forward for us. This is the interpretation of Islam which we have learnt at Al Azhar University, and are trying to realize in our country.” It's worth noting that the establishment of Al-Azhar took place at the hands of the Fatimids (970 AD). Since its inception, Al-Azhar along with its Qur'an experts (Mufassirin), hadith scholars (Muhaddithin), reformers (Muslihin), thinkers, leaders, and jurists (Muftis) in various departments of religious and modern sciences, is striving for the reformation of the Muslim Ummah, while promoting mutual brotherhood among all communities. Thus, viewed from this perspective, Egyptian President al-Sisi’s visit to India on the Republic Day will bolster both the countries' concern for threats of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation — a core area that Al-Azhar has concerned itself with. In fact, Al-Azhar Sharif in Cairo remains the world’s largest Islamic seminary which voices the silent majority of moderate Muslims the world over. The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Shaikh Ahmad-ul-Tayeb, who is also a custodian of a Sufi shrine in Egypt, calls for radical reforms in modern Islamic thought. In an anti-terrorism Islamic summit in Mecca, he showed his courage of conviction for introspection into the ‘intolerant interpretations of Islam’ to contain the spread of extremism in the Muslim world, not only in the doctrinal issues, but also in the civil matters. Recently, Sa’duddin al-Hilali, a professor of comparative jurisprudence at al-Azhar issued a fatwa in support of the progressive reforms being introduced in Tunisia. An intellectual product and proponent of Al-Azhar, it was Prof. Al-Hilali who provided the jurisprudential legitimacy for the decision by Tunisian government to introduce a gender just Muslim country based on equal rights to men and women. In the words of Al-Hilali, this is the ideal Muslim society which is “jurisprudentially correct and it does not contradict with the Divine Commandments in the Qur’an”. More significantly, Egypt was the first Muslim country to have mulled down the entire corpus of extremist literature in the country’s religious and educational centres. It has completely banned the radical Islamist thoughts from flourishing in the new Egyptian generation’s minds. Ikhwan ul Muslimin or the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its chief ideologues including Hasan al-Banna, Sayyid Qutub and almost all those who expounded upon the political Islamist theologies in their books have been ousted from the Egyptian universities and schools, be it Al Azhar Sharif or the local seminaries. It is believed that since the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power, Egypt has been at the forefront in the counter-extremism. ------ New Age Islam columnist, Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer on Sufism and Islamic affairs. 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